Mozilla Joins The Open Invention Network

The Mozilla Foundation became a licensee member of the Open Invention Network, which specializes in patent defense and Linux preservation. There are three levels of membership to the OIN: Licensee, Associate, and Executive. The Mozilla Foundation has joined as a Licensee.

As a Licensee, Mozilla will have access to the OIN's royalty-free patent library as long as the company doesn't assert said patents against the Linux System.

"By joining, Mozilla receives cross-licenses from other OIN licensees, but more importantly, for the long term, it affords us a chance to work with OIN in reducing IP threats to open source development and innovation," the foundation said via the official Mozilla blog.

Mozilla was quick to say that the foundation is still uneasy about patents, but that based on the good the OIN does in protecting Linux and the network's efforts to shield open source projects from IP threats.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has come to a decision that could be crucial for standards and Open Source software in proposing a consent agreement in a patenting claim, says Andy Updegrove, the Linux Foundation's (LF) legal expert.